As the porter led us to our hotel room, we passed through a hall covered in intricate tiles depicting life in Portugal in the 1700s. Above us was a magnificent wooden ceiling that had survived for 850 years. We continued down a majestic hall that once housed the monks' cells in this 12th century monastery and which is now home to the guest rooms.

Scurrying behind the porter, we arrived at our room awestruck, having just been transported through eight centuries of history - far too much to absorb in just one passing. This is a feeling we experienced over and over again as we toured the pousadas of Portugal this fall, staying in hotels housed in monasteries, castles and palaces.

While the mention of Portugal often brings to mind the beaches of the Algarve, the country is also home to some of Europe's oldest civilizations. Lisbon, for example, dates to 1200 BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world, predating London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years. The pousadas marry this rich history with luxury to create a hotel experience like no other.

The concept was the brainchild of Antonio Ferro, Minister of Information and Propaganda (how's that for a title?), who wanted to create staterun inns that respected the local architecture and provided authentic regional cuisine.

On April 19, 1942, at the opening ceremony of the first pousada, Ferro said: "At the current time, nearly all construction in Europe is intended for war. Our pousadas will be fortresses of peace, refuges of grace and quiet."

Despite being sold to a private company in 2003, the spirit of the pousadas has remained much the same over the years, with the focus being on providing peaceful and authentic regional experiences. An added bonus is the restoration of historical buildings that may otherwise be left to deteriorate.

Several pousadas are located in restored monuments, while others are in areas of outstanding natural beauty. Today there are 44 pousadas across Portugal, each with its own regional restaurant and most located away from main cities.

You won't find any pousadas in Lisbon, but if you want to spend a few days in the Portuguese capital, Heritage Hotels of Lisbon offers five character hotels in the city centre, including Solar do Castelo, located within the walls of Castelo de Sao Jorge.

Touring Portugal's historic accommodations is an excellent way to discover the country - the only drawback is that with so much history right under your nose, you might have a hard time forcing yourself to leave the hotel.

Pousada Santa Marinha

Amenities: Restaurant, bar, gardens, artificial lake and pool.

History: According to tradition, the monastery was donated in 1154 to the canons of Saint Augustin order by Queen Mafalda, wife of the first king of Portugal. The site also has evidence of a pre-Roman temple, dating back to the 4th century. Much of the building was destroyed by fire in 1951, but was restored and transformed into a pousada in the '70s. The restoration won a national prize of architecture in 1985.

Best features: The monastery itself is stunning, especially the areas that survived the fire. You can easily spend an afternoon exploring the building's church, halls, terraces, gardens and azulejo tiles - tapestries of small glazed and painted tiles. The pool is a classy, modern touch set against an ancient backdrop. Here more than any of the pousadas, we felt as though our room was steeped in history, with its peephole window, wooden shutters and veranda.

Location: Pousada Santa Marinha is on a hill above Guimaraes, a small northern Portuguese city often called the birthplace of Portugal. Guimaraes is home to a 10th-century fortress thought to be the birthplace of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, and was the country's first capital. The city's entire downtown core was crowned a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. A walk along Rua de Santa Maria, flanked by medieval houses, leads from the castle down to the old town, where you arrive in a pair of charming squares. Fittingly, Guimaraes has been named the 2012 European Capital of Culture.

History: Palacio do Freixo was commissioned by the dean of the Porto Cathedral in 1742. In the mid-1800s it was sold to a wealthy Porto businessman, who built a soap factory in the palace's gardens. Later sold again to an industrialist, a 45-metre silo was built for a flour factory. In 1910, it was classified as a National Monument. By the '90s, the property had been abandoned for decades and the buildings desperately needed restoration. Pousadas of Portugal stepped in, hiring Portuguese architect Fernando Tavora to restore the buildings between 2000 and 2003.

Best features: Open for just two years, Pousada do Porto is the newest pousada and blends history with modern design.

The hotel rooms, housed in the old factory, are uber modern and have commanding views of the River Douro. The restaurant, bar and reception areas are in the palace, giving guests a chance to soak up the baroque-era mural paintings and ornate decor. The pools, spa and steam room add an extra dose of luxury.

Location: Pousada do Porto is a $7 cab ride from Porto's historic city centre, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Portugal's second largest city, Porto is on the steep slopes of the River Douro and has been occupied for at least 3,000 years, making it one of Europe's oldest cities. Porto is a working city and a delight to explore. Across the river, Villa Nova de Gaia is home to all the major port houses, where you can sample wines made from the grapes grown only in the Douro Valley.

Noted for: This is the largest pousada with 87 rooms and the only one located in one of Portugal's two major cities.

Pousada de Obidos

Amenities: Restaurant and bar.

History: This pousada is in a castle located atop a medieval walled town of whitewashed houses. Converted into a royal palace in the 16th century and into the first historical pousada in 1950, Pousada de Obidos is one of Portugal's most famous pousadas. It has just eight rooms.

Best features: Location, location, location! You're really paying for the honour of staying in this perch amid a magical setting.

Location: The beguiling town of Obidos was traditionally given as a wedding gift by the Portuguese kings to their queens, a custom begun in 1282 and continued for 600 years. You can climb around the castle walls taking in views of the picture perfect village and Portuguese countryside. Enjoy the town at night (after the tourists have gone home) by visiting some of the medieval bars.

Noted for: The honeymoon suite, located in one of the castle's turrets.

Solar do Castelo

Amenities: Breakfast room, courtyard.

History: Formerly the Palacio das Cozinhas, the kitchens that prepared the food for the king's table, the Solar do Castelo is within the walls of Lisbon's iconic Castelo de Sao Jorge. The kitchens were built in 1256, but were completely destroyed in the 1755 earthquake that devastated much of Lisbon. Rebuilt in 1765, the property remained in the hands of various aristocratic families, gradually becoming run down.

The building was restored and transformed into a hotel 10 years ago by Heritage Hotels of Lisbon.

Best features: This hotel has 14 rooms and feels like a cosy, yet elegant, private home with all the creature comforts at hand: playing cards and board games, a small library, an honour bar and a lovely courtyard to enjoy all of the above.

Location: Solar do Castelo crowns one of Lisbon's seven hills, so be prepared for a climb back to your hotel each night. It's well worth the exercise though as you hike through Lisbon's oldest quarter, Alfama. The neighbourhood is a maze of cobbled lanes and staircases, and is home to a Roman theatre and several authentic fado houses, where Portugal's unique blues is sung each night. You're also within walking distance of Baixa, Chiado and Bairro Alto, three of Lisbon's top downtown locales.

Noted for: The hotel has a small museum in the basement (right inside the old cistern) showcasing artifacts excavated on-site during the building's restoration.

Some of the items date back to 200 BC and there's evidence of the Roman, Islamic and medieval occupations. A map shows where the artifacts were found and, as it turned out, our room was an archaeological gold mine.

If you go

- Fly direct to a major European city, such as London, and connect to Porto or Lisbon on British Airways, one of Air Canada's partners or on one of Europe's low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair or EasyJet. If you fly charter in the off-season, you can snag the whole round-trip for around $1,000.

- The most cost-effective way to visit the pousadas is to purchase a five-night passport, starting from 490 euros ($685), including breakfast. There are some restrictions, so make sure to read the fine print.

- On the Pousadas of Portugal website (pousadas.pt), there is a map of all the pousadas, recommendations for three-or five-day circuits and online reservations.

- Rates at Solar do Castelo in Lisbon start at 149 euros ($210) per night, including a full breakfast. Information and reservations are available at Heritage.pt

- Avoid visiting Portugal in August, when the Portuguese typically take the month off. Lowseason rates begin around Nov. 1.

- The downside of the pousadas' unique locations is they tend to be difficult to reach by transit and can be tricky to find. In most cases, plan to rent a car with GPS or at least print out directions before you leave home.

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